Device for launching rocket-torpedoes



(No Model.) AVWBEKS.

DEVICE FOR LAUNGHING ROCKET TORPBDOES.

Patented Mar.

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. tion of a steam launch or boat having my in- UNITED STATE PATENT OFFICE.

ASA WEEKS, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

DEVICE FOR LAUNC l-llNG ROCKET-TORPEDOES.

SPECIFICATION .forming part of Letters Patent No. 274,068, dated March 13, 1883.

Application filed January 15, 1883. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

. Be it known that I, ASA WEEKS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Minneapolis,

in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesot-a, haveinvented certain'new and useful Improvements in Detaching Torpedoes; and. 1 do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact. description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it a'ppertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Figure lrepresents a transverse vertical secvention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of my improved detaching-davit when in the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 11. the rocketfloat being indicated by dotted mes.

The present invention and its object have been described in a pending application filed by me April 19, 1882, which object is the detaching ot' a rocket-float, when desired, from shipboard or from coverts 0n the shore.

A represents the davit. It comprises the curved bars B, pivoted at a, and rigidly connected by a series of bracing, b, and counterbracing c. Theouter ends of these bars have bearings which receive the swiveling hookdetaching *device (J, composed of rod D and rod E. The former rod extends beyond the curved barsat either side, one end having attached the pendent rod E, and the other, e, projecting a distance equal to the lengthof rod E. The socket-plece F connects the two rods 1) and E in the relative positions shown."

G represents a steam-launch or other boat for carrying the ,davits A. It has one or more protectedrecesses behind an arm or plate, H, within which the davit and. the suspended rocket-float I rest and are sheltered from a forward shot. This position is shown in Fig. 1. The davit A is pivoted to the side of the boat, ate a, to adjusting-blocks J J secured by bolts to the sides of the vessel. Theseolocks admit of vertical adjustment of the davit.

The projecting rod 0 and rod E are of the same length, as before stated, and receive the supporting loops or eyes it of the float I.'

These'loops are seen in end view in Fig. 1 and in side view (dotted lines)in Fig.2, therocketfloat I also being shown in dotted lines.

K is a line for operating the davit. The

da vits serve the purpose of launching the rocket-floats from behind their protected recesses when desired, and, also, they give the floats a free forward clearing motion from the davits carried in an armor-plate or protected recess provided at the side or sides of the boat. behind which the torpedo-floats are swung upon their davits in the protected recesses when not required to be lowered for action.

2. A swinging detaching-davit provided with guide-rods, substantially as described, consisting of two rods journaled to the outer end .of the davit, each of which is free at one end for the detaching of the rocket-torpedo.

In testimony whereof I affixmy signature i presence of two witnesses.

ASA WEEKS. Witnesses:

I F. B. BROOK, R. D. 0. SMITH. 

